Re: “Get Your PVCs And Support Your Gender” —INEC Urges Women -By Pat Agu

Gender Equality Today For A Sustainable Tomorrow

“It is disheartening to see women contesting elective offices and never make it beyond the primary elections because they have no supports, and

“If women can mobilize themselves and support their fellow women, more women will win elective offices which will benefit them in the future —Mrs Yusuf 

 presidential female aspirant on the platform of the PDP for the 2023 upcoming election, and Presidential Candidate of Mass Action Joint Alliance (MAJA) in the 2019 election, Prof. Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies hails the Independent National Electoral Commission on the drive for female participation in the up coming 2023 elections.

This is as Mrs. Naomi Yusuf, INEC Gender officer in Bauchi urges women to get registered, collect their Permanent Voters Card (PVC) and participate actively in supporting women seeking elective offices. It’s time to, “Get Your PVCs And Support Your Gender, INEC Urges Women”. At the same event, Mrs. Sulisma similarly noted that women should push for the 35 percent affirmative action to have fair representation at all levels of Government.

FrontLineNews Nigeria on March 12, 2022 reports: “Get Your PVCs And Support Your Gender, INEC Urges Women”. In an appeal, “The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), urged women to get registered, collect their Permanent Voters Card (PVC) and participate actively in supporting women seeking elective offices.

“Mrs. Naomi Yusuf, INEC Gender officer in Bauchi made a call.at a one day symposium to commemorate the 2022 International Women’s day on Tuesday in Bauchi.

She urged women, particularly at the community level, to ensure that they get registered and obtain their permanent voters cards (PVCs).

“To enable them to vote for women seeking elective offices in their respective communities.

“It is disheartening to see women contesting elective offices and never make it beyond the primary elections because they have no supports,

“If women can mobilize themselves and support their fellow women, more women will win elective offices which will benefit them in the future,” Mrs Yusuf said.

Our correspondent reports that the symposium was organized by the Fahimta Women and Youth Development Initiative in collaboration with Actionaid Nigeria. With the theme” Gender Equality Today for a sustainable Tomorrow.”

Also Speaking, Hajiya Maryam Garba the Executive Director Fahimta Women and Youth Development Initiative(FAWODYI), lamented that the number of women in elective positions in the country was very low compared to their male counterparts,

She called on women to breach the gap by seeking elective offices so that women can get fair representation at the Local, State and National level.

Garba explained that the aim of the symposium was to sensitise women on the need for them to break the gender barriers against them by ensuring that more women are in elective offices.

“The number of women we have in our elective offices both at the state and National level is not encouraging at all.

“We are the only ones that can change the narrative by supporting ourselves to ensure that we support any woman seeking an elective position” She said

On her part, Mrs Comfort Sulisma, the Special Assistant to the Bauchi State Governor on Special Duties, said that the fear of rejection has hindered so many women from contesting elective offices,

She stressed that so many factors ranging from religion, gender bias, tradition amongst others have made many women hide in their shell without exploring their potentials.

Mrs Sulisma noted that women should push for the 35 percent affirmative action to have fair representation at all levels of Government.

Adesanya-Davies says, Wow, this event is such a welcome development! The dream is getting so real! I will contest for the position of the President of Nigeria under the plafor of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in 2023. I have a dream that one day, a woman will become the president of Nigeria to reform and transform the nation, and the dre is now!

Lastly, she says, women should be guided and rememinded that:
INEC releases guidelines and timetable for the 2023 general election

i. Publication of Notice of Election – Monday 28th February 2022.

ii. Conduct of party primaries, including the resolution of disputes arising from them – Monday 4th April 2022 to Friday 3rd June 2022.

iii. Submission of nomination forms to INEC via the online portal for Presidential and National Assembly election – 9.00am on Friday 10th June 2022 to 6.00pm on Friday 17th June 2022.

iv. Submission of nomination forms to INEC via the online nomination portal for Governorship and State Assembly elections – 9.00am on Friday 1st July 2022 to 6.00pm on Friday 15th July 2022.

v. Commencement of Campaign by political parties for Presidential and National Assembly election – Wednesday 28th September 2022.

vi. Commencement of Campaign by political parties for Governorship and State Assembly elections – Wednesday 12th October 2022.

vii. Last day of campaign by political parties for Presidential and National Assembly elections – midnight on Thursday 23rd February 2023.

viii. Last day of campaign by political parties for Governorship and State Assembly elections – midnight on Thursday 9th March 2023.